Australian Cattle Blue Heeler - dog breed

Australian Cattle Blue Heeler, also known as the Queensland Heeler, Blue Heeler, and Red Heeler, is a breed of herding dog developed in Australia for controlling cattle. It is a medium-sized dog with a lot of energy, intelligence and an independent streak.

Appearance

The Australian Cattle Blue Heeler should be muscular, athletic and substantial in appearance, without any trace of weakness or fragility. However, excessively heavy or cumbersome build is also undesirable as it limits agility, a necessity for any good cattle herder. Along with athleticism, symmetry and balance are also essential, and no individual part of the dog should be exaggerated or draw excessive attention. Even when bred for companion or show purposes, it should have well-condition, hard muscles.
A female Australian Cattle Dog should measure about 17 to 19 inches (43 to 48 cm) at the withers. A male Australian Cattle Dog should measure about 18 to 20 inches (46 to 51 cm) at the withers. An Australian Cattle Blue Heeler is a well-muscled, compact dog with a dense coat of coarse, rather oily hair with a slight ruff and fine, almost wooley, winter undercoat. It has a naturally long tail, generally carried low, with a slight white tip. An Australian Cattle Blue Heeler in good condition should weigh roughly 35 to 50 pounds (16 to 23 kg).

Temperament

Like many herding dogs, Cattle Dogs have high energy levels and active minds. They need plenty of exercise and a job to do, such as participating in dog sports, learning tricks, or other activities that engage their minds. Some individuals find repetitive training frustrating and dull, so owners should aim to make training sessions varied and more exciting in order to keep their dog interested. Cattle Dogs who do not receive the appropriate exercise and entertainment will invent their own, often destructive, activities. These dogs are, by nature, wary. They are naturally cautious, and grow more so as they age. Their cautious nature towards strangers make them perfect guard dogs, when trained for this task. Cattle Dogs drive cattle by nipping at their heels, but they have also been known to herd other animals, such as ducks, chickens and flocks of ground-feeding parrots without instruction when left to their own devices.
To relieve the urge to nip, the Australian Cattle Blue Heeler can be encouraged to pick up and chew a toy or stick that is thrown for them. The Australian Cattle Blue Heeler, given a toy that would last another dog for an extended time, will happily sit down with the object between its paws and skilfully shred it into small pieces. An Australian Cattle Blue Heeler will remove the fuzz from a tennis ball as neatly as it would skin a rabbit. Any toy left with the Australian Cattle Blue Heeler needs to be extremely robust if it is to last.
The Australian Cattle Blue Heeler is gregarious to other dogs with whom it is familiar, working well in combination with other Australian Cattle Blue Heelers, Kelpies, and Border Collies. Because of their plucky nature, the establishing of an order can result in a few scuffles and bites.
It is important for an owner to quickly establish a hierarchy in which they are the dog's pack leader, otherwise the young Australian Cattle Blue Heeler may bond to a senior dog, rather than to its owner. As an urban pet, if the young Australian Cattle Blue Heeler is allowed to bond too strongly with some senior dog in the neighbourhood, it can be very difficult for the owner to then establish control. With unknown dogs, particularly males, the Australian Cattle Blue Heeler can be aggressive and fearless.